This press release (in Swedish) announces the Missionary Church of Kopimism is now officially recognized in Sweden, the first country to sanction the religion. Kopimism holds file-sharing as one of its central principles, and the announcement refers to the involvement of Gustav Nipe, who is also affiliated with Sweden's Pirate Party. Here's word from the translation: "Information is sacred to the missionary Kopimistsamfundet, and copy the sacrament. Information has value, both in itself and in its content, and this value increases by copying. Thus, copying the heart of everything in the community." Thanks Ant via Digg.

Agent.X7 wrote on Jan 5, 2012, 03:07:Tons of people like the crap novels based on Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft, too. But I guess in the land of the barely literate, people reading anything is good.

I don't like any of that crap, and I'm not exactly barely literate. Reading is my favorite pastime, and I often go through a novel a day.For instance:

InBlack wrote on Jan 5, 2012, 03:38:RObert A. Heinlein for the win! If you want controversial Sci-Fi ideas that dabble a bit in philosophy/religion/politics AND actually make some sense look no further.

Stormsinger wrote on Jan 4, 2012, 19:15:You clearly haven't read any of Hubbard's science fiction (using the term VERY loosely) books...

Once a hack, always a hack.

Actually, I found Battlefield Earth to be a great sci-fi read. The movie was horrendous but the book was enjoyable. Not a word in the book about scientology.

Hard core scientologists can be scary, I suggest googling info on some of the whack stuff they do.

It's pretty good if you like Mary-Sue fantasies and atrocious writing. Tons of people like the crap novels based on Dungeons and Dragons and World of Warcraft, too. But I guess in the land of the barely literate, people reading anything is good.

In 1946 Aleister Crowley, the sorcerer and mystic whose dabblings in black magic earned him the title "The Wickedest Man in the World", found a new disciple and welcomed him to one of his occult communities in California. The extraordinary activities of this new and enthusiastic disciple are described in a vast collection of papers owned by a former admirer of Crowley which we have examined. The man in question is Lafayette Ron Hubbard , head of the now notorious Church of Scientology."

John Whiteside Parsons, a brilliant rocket fuel scientist, joined the American branch of Crowley's cult in 1939. He struck up earnest correspondence with "The Beast 666," as Crowley was known by his followers, and soon became his outstanding protege in the United States. By January, 1946, Parsons was impatient to break new frontiers in the occult world. He decided to take the spirit of Babalon, the "whore of Babylon," and invest it in a human being.

But to carry out this intricate mission Parsons needed a female sexual partner to create his child in the astral (spiritual) world. If this part of the fixture went successfully Parsons would be able to call down the spiritual baby and direct it to a human womb. When born, this child would incarnate the forces of Babalon. During his magical preparations for this incarnation Parsons found himself overwhelmed with assistance from a young novitiate named Ron Hubbard.

Parsons write to Crowley at the beginning of 1946. "He (Hubbard) is a gentleman, red hair, green eyes, honest and intelligent and we have become great friends. Although he has no formal training in magic he has an extraordinary amount of experience and understanding in the field. Ron appears to have some sort of highly developed astral vision. He describes his angel as a beautiful winged woman with red hair whom he calls the Empress and who has guided him through his life and saved him many times." He concluded almost ecstatically, "He is in complete accord with our own principles. I have found a staunch companion and comrade in Ron."

But within two months the bonds of friendship were under some strain: Ron claimed Parsons girlfriend, Betty. With admirable restraint Parsons wrote to Crowley, "She has transferred her sexual affection to Ron. I cared for her rather deeply but I have no desire to control her emotions."

The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.That is easy.All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.It works the same way in any country.